There’s no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” bone spur surgery. In fact, there are several different procedures that can be recommended for a person with spinal bone spurs. In some situations, two different types of spinal bone spur surgery (i.e., one to remove a piece of bone and one to stabilize the spine) might even be performed at the same time.
Surgeries that could be performed when you have spinal bone spurs
Some surgeries are performed with the goal of decompressing the spinal cord or a nerve root that is being pinched by a bone spur or other tissue. These are known as decompression surgeries. These types of bone spur surgery include:
- Laminotomies — in which a small portion of the spinal cord’s thin, bony covering is removed
- Discectomies — in which part of a spinal disc is removed
- Foraminotomies — in which a small section of bone or disc is removed to create larger foramen, or openings through which nerve roots exit the spinal canal
- Facet thermal ablation — often performed in conjunction with a decompression surgery, this procedure deadens a nerve that carries pain signals to a facet joint (alleviating the pain of facet joint arthritis, a condition that causes spinal bone spurs)
Stabilization surgeries
It is important to note that each person’s bone spur surgery plan is entirely unique. The location of the bone spur and whether there are any other coexisting conditions can influence the type — or types — of surgery recommended. For example, patients with advanced stages of spinal degeneration might be recommended for stabilization surgery, which involves the removal of a deteriorated disc and the fusion of vertebrae on either side of the disc.
At USA Spine Care, we perform minimally invasive bone spur surgery on an outpatient basis. We have helped tens of thousands of individuals get back to their lives and are proud to have a patient satisfaction score of 98. For more information, contact us today. We can review your MRI at no cost to help determine if you are a candidate for our muscle-sparing procedures.
